iBookstore adds new features for publishers

In a letter to participating iBookstore content creators on Wednesday, Apple outlined new additions and features to the eBook publishing section of iTunes Connect, where authors submit their work to be distributed via iTunes.

The letter notifies current publishers, including fledgling iBooks Authors, that four areas are being updated: promo codes, screenshots, series and pre-orders.

Screenshots

The iBookstore will now support screenshots, a feature that can be useful for books with illustrations and special audio/visual content.

Publishers are not required to submit screenshots, but if they choose to do so, the submissions must be 1024 x 768 pixels or 768 x 1024 pixels and be in the RGB colorspace. Authors are allowed to remove the menu bar from the screenshot, which would change the resolution to 1004 x 768 pixels or 748 x 1024 pixels.

Beyond picture size, the shots must be in the usual iTunes-accepted .jpeg, .jpg or .png formats and can be submitted via iTunes Producer 2.5 or later.

The new resolutions reflect current iPad hardware, and no mention was made of higher-res images.

Promo Codes

Authors can now receive up to 50 free promo codes for each eBook they publish, however the codes are can only be distributed for publicity purposes such as review copies. Outside of book critics, it seems that this change won't affect the majority of iBookstore consumers.

Apple notes that the promo codes will available on to those users with the "Legal role," and are limited to titles that have a status of "On the Store" or "Ready for Store."

Pre-Orders

Also new to publishers is the ability to put an eBook up for pre-sale before release.

Authors can use the pre-order option without submitting a cover or the book itself as late as two weeks prior to the expected publication date, and the book will show up on the iBookstore once all metadata is delivered.

The letter stipulates that the cover, text and custom preview are required two weeks prior to publication.

Series

Finally, authors are reminded that in order to create a series, their submissions must include series data to more effectively connect all volumes together on the iBookstore.

Then they make a new chapter. Second "book" in the "series". Publish it, $9.99?

I hope it ISN'T and that books of valid series' take advantage of it (Clarke's Odyssey books, Narnia, Yotsuba&!, Ringworld, etc.).

I believe they could already do this technically, this update just requires they add data (like the series name) to connect the search results together.

While you lambast big publishers for potentially releasing a single chapter of a shoe-in best-selling book at $9.99 a pop (I'd think $2.99 would be more likely), this business model could have usefulness. For instance, a smaller publisher could release short stories on a serial basis with recurring characters at $0.99 (or up to $2.99) a pop.

I'm currently on a John Le Carre kick, and thought it strange that you can download the three books in the "Karla" trilogy separately at $9.99 each, but downloading the three as a collection cost $29.99 (so fractionally more). It would actually make more sense to come to the end of "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" and have it put "The Honourable Schoolboy" there for download as part of the series.

Then they make a new chapter. Second "book" in the "series". Publish it, $9.99?

I hope it ISN'T and that books of valid series' take advantage of it (Clarke's Odyssey books, Narnia, Yotsuba&!, Ringworld, etc.).

Why would readers keep paying $9.99 per chapter?

This appears to be primarily for categorization, i.e., making it easier to find the next book in a series, but there is definitely a market for shorter, cheaper series. Politico is publishing a 4-part series about the 2012 campaign; the parts come out every 2 or 3 months for (I think) $2.99 each and will likely be repackaged later as a single e-book with a new afterward.

One of the things I like the most about iBooks (and kindle and nook) is that publishers have so much more latitude with speed and length than they ever did in traditional book publishing.

One of the things I like the most about iBooks is the fact that I can pick the font that's best for my eyes. Hate the Kindle app which let's the publisher pick and choose something that THEY think is best... or is just pretty.